What is a (NIP) National Provider Identification Number?

The Administrative Simplification Provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated the adoption of a standard unique identifier for health care providers. The National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) collects identifying information on health care providers and assigns each a unique National Provider Identifier (NPI). For further information and to apply for a number, refer to the following website: https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do